The paper describes results obtained from the micro-elastohydrodynamic lubrication (micro-EHL) modelling of the gear tooth contacts used in micropitting tests together with contact fatigue and damage accumulation analysis of the surfaces involved. Tooth surface profiles were acquired from pairs of helical test gears and micro-EHL simulations were performed corresponding to surfaces that actually came into contact during the meshing cycle. Fatigue and damage accumulation analysis shows that predicted damage is concentrated close to the tooth surfaces and this strongly suggests that micropitting damage arises from fatigue at the asperity contact level.
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